FIRST FRIDAY COFFEE: KASTEN: SESSION `TURBULENT' AT TIMES

This year's session of the Missouri General Assembly was one of "turbulent times," says Rep. Mary Kasten.

"More than 14,000 bills were filed during the session, and we passed 197 of them," said Kasten, a Republican legislator who is serving her sixth term in the Missouri House.

Kasten, who was guest speaker Friday at the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's First Friday Coffee, discussed actions during the 87th General Assembly.

Following Kasten's address, Willard. H. "Dutch" Estes announced the winner of his annual Cobblestone Award, presented to a person who exhibits civic dedication.

"This year's award goes to Charles A. Hood," said Estes. Hood, a former mayor of Cape Girardeau, was not present.

"We had some tough legislation this session," Kasten told a near-capacity crowd at the monthly meeting. "It was a rough session, but as I look back on it, it was a good session."

Kasten compared the session to a card game."

"We had some honest players and we had some cheaters. Some played under the table," she said. "We got to know the kings, queens and jokers. Some bills made it; some didn't but will come up another year."

Kasten said the legislature was looking at a $10.8 billion state budget.

"Looking at your tax dollar, 30 cents of it go to education," she said. "Twenty-nine cents of it go to social services, and 29 cents of it go to highways and transportation. Then, the figures drop below the double-digit mark, for other items."

Among some of the legislation passed were bills concerning riverboat gambling, health care, welfare reform, workers' compensation, education and tourism.

Many of these bills may not be as good as they ought to be, but they're good legislation," said Kasten.

The workers' compensation bill is a good example of that, said Kasten. "It has some good parts," said Kasten. "It's certainly better than the previous bill. It's more far-reaching than the measure approved last year but is still unlikely to bring immediate relief to businesses burdened by skyrocketing premium increases."

The bill provides a new definition for accidents, and also offers a new formula for allocation of expenses, including lawyer fees in third-party actions. The bill has 28 provisions. "Eventually, I think the workers' comp bill will be helpful in containing rates," she said.

Concerning the education bill, Kasten said she was concerned about the tax increase that will be putting more than $300 million in taxes on taxpayers.

"What we have done is pass the largest tax measure in 40 years," said Kasten. "I felt that we could have passed a more simple bill. We just cannot continue to keep putting taxes on people."

Like many legislators, Kasten believes the bill will be challenged because of the Hancock Amendment, requiring voter approval for tax increases. Kasten said she agrees that good schools are important to the state's quality of life and its ability to attract jobs, but also feels there is a balance that has to be maintained between quality of life and business.

Kasten said riverboat gambling was one of the controversial bills.

"We wanted a to see that the state has a good gaming board, and I think it will," she said.

Missouri voters approved riverboat gambling during the November election.

"I just hope now that the local issue here in Cape Girardeau will not be a divider of the city's population," she said.

A bitter and controversial riverboat gambling campaign will end Tuesday when Cape Girardeau voters determine whether to permit a riverboat casino here.

New crime bills that passed the legislature in 1993 provide for fingerprinting juveniles and for criminal record checks of persons seeking state employment.

Kasten said she was particularly pleased with the variety of family issues that were dealt with and that the session was a victory for the children of Missouri."

"The health bill has good direction," said Kasten. "It will be a big help for children."

The Missouri health bill calls for the departments of health and social services to give grants to school districts and local health departments for improving child health. "These two organizations also will develop a plan to encourage schools to act as Medicaid providers and provide services for children under 19," said Kasten.

Kasten said she was disappointed that the House rejected her welfare reform amendment, which would have ended the incentive for people on welfare to have additional children and receive increased AFDC payments.

Kasten's amendment would have stopped giving cash AFDC payments for any additional child born after a family was on AFDC. However, further welfare benefits such as medical care and food assistance would still have been given.

"We also passed the Omnibus Economic Development Act," said Kasten. "This bill will provide encouragement for entrepreneurs."

The legislation will expand the eligibility for the MOBUCKS program to include eligible agri-businesses, livestock operations, beginning farmers, and marketing enterprise. The program also expands communities that are eligible for neighborhood assistance program tax credits among its 37 provisions.